Age Before Beauty

An exploration of youth, age, instant gratification and long-term relationships set within the beauty industry and a dysfunctional family business.

Married to Wesley for 25 years, Bel has spent the last 18 years as homemaker and mum to their twins, but having just waved them off to university, now has a void in her life. Enter Teddy, brother-in-law and long-time Best Friend, begging her to step in and rescue the family business: Mirror, Mirror – a down-at-heel beauty salon in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Like Bel, it could do with a bit of a face-lift. And possibly a clear-out, since it employs her high-maintenance family – mother Ivy-Rae (body building coach and spray-tan technician), sisters Leanne (part-time nail technician, part time personal stylist), Tina (“body artist” – aka tattooist) and Heidi (fillers and Botox, Cosmetic Surgery addict) mother to Disney, plump, 7 year old wannabe Pageant Queen. When Bel accidentally spots a “selfie” of Wes apparently in flagrante with 20-something Personal Trainer Lorelei, she wonders if the time has come to give herself a makeover along with the salon. But is there more to this than meets the eye? Are Botox and fillers really the answer? What has BF Teddy got to do with it all? Is it just coincidence he’s married Leanne? And will Leanne ever stop trying to stab her sister in the back? Family feuds and rivalries escalate as the series progresses – and the relationship between Bel and Lorelei takes an unexpected turn…

Will secrets and lies destroy the family – or liberate it? Can Bel reconcile the demands of her business, her warring family and her slowly-mending heart? Youth versus age. Age versus beauty. Experience versus hope.

Age Before Beauty reunites the team behind the much loved Cutting It which ran on BBC1 for 4 series from 2002. Writer/Creator Debbie Horsfield will Executive Produce alongside Joint M.Ds of Mainstreet Pictures Sally Haynes and Laura Mackie.

Laura says; “Debbie is writing at the top of her game and in Age Before Beauty she’s created a colourful and memorable set of characters and a story that examines our obsession with the ageing process in an emotional, entertaining and surprising way.”

Debbie says; “I’m thrilled to be working with long-term colleagues Laura Mackie and Sally Haynes again. This will be our first collaboration since Cutting It, and we’re looking forward to turning the spotlight on the subject of ageing: growing older gracefully – or disgracefully!”